ORTHONEVRA NITIDA

Orthonevra nitida

FLOWER FLY FAMILY (Syrphidae)

Description

This tiny Syrphid fly is about 1/4 inch in length. The eyes are large and tan with a dark dash line and many squiggly brown lines. The face has scales and is metallic looking. The antennae are black. The thorax is brown with dark brown stripes. The abdomen is brown with metallic overtones. The wings are clear with dark veining. The femurs and tibiae are black and the tarsi are orange with black tips.

Occurrence

The frequency of occurrence is not known for this area, but it is thought to be fairly common in its range. The individuals pictured here were photographed in July in Fontenelle Forest.

Comments

There are 7 species in this genus in North America. The genus Orthonevra is in the subfamily Eristalinae whose larvae feed on decaying organic debris in moist and sometimes aquatic environments.

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